Record-setting day for virus cases in six states

Record-setting day for virus cases in six states

[NFA] Coronavirus cases spiked in Arizona and Florida on Wednesday, a day after those states and four others reported record daily increases of new infections.

This report produced by Jillian Kitchener.

Florida reported over 2,600 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday and Arizona more than 1,800... the second highest daily increase after setting records the day before.

On Tuesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis rejected the idea that reopening his state too soon was the reason behind the spike in cases.

“The restaurants have been doing this for what have they been doing it for, for six weeks?

The idea that that all of a sudden is the reason?

I'm not sure that's the case.

So we're not shutting down.” For weeks, nationwide cases trended downwards, but now the numbers are rising - and sharply - in about half a dozen states, according to a Reuters analysis.

In those states - COVID-19 hospitalizations are also increasing or at record highs.

In Arizona, 83% of intensive care beds are occupied, a record high, according to a state website.

While in Texas, the number of coronavirus patients in hospitals surged roughly 11% in a single day, according to a state health website.

And unlike spikes reported in new infections, rising hospitalizations cannot simply be attributed to increased testing.

Yet for now, that's not slowing plans to reopen the Texas economy - a mistake, according to some.

"Personally, I think we've opened up too soon... I'd like to see it going down before we start seeing large crowds and gatherings.

In New York, which was once the epicenter of the outbreak - Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state now has the country's lowest infection rate.

"New York, the number of people going into hospitals is going down.

The percent testing positive is going down.

These are facts." And he took the federal government to task over its handling of the pandemic.

"This federal government is making a mistake on the way that it is handling this COVID crisis, and how it is now advising states and the people of this nation." More then 116,000 have died from COVID-19 in the United States, by far the most in the world.